Rainbow Veins
by Olive Malik
Summary: Larry Stylinson.


Harry handed the money over discreetly, trying desperately not to squeal when the white potion was handed to him. Zayn had described color so beautifully. He had never felt anticipation like this. He zipped the pocket of his bag closed and hurried off down the street as casually as one so tall could.

When he got home he threw his stuff down and dug around his bag until he found it. Harry read the directions first,

1. Make sure you are lying down somewhere

2. Drink all of the potion

WARNING

Your dreams may not be solely your own. We must share dreams in order to share color.

Harry shrugged and jumped onto his bed with the bottle in hand. He unscrewed the cap with shaking fingers and tossed it back happily. Within moments his eyes were fluttering shut and the glass bottle fell from his limp hand and shattered on the ground.

In Harry's Dreams

Harry woke up on the ground, only it wasn't black or white. It was...different. He pushed up on his hands to look around himself. There was so much, so much... Not-Grey. He gave a shout of glee and jumped up on his legs. He appeared to be in some sort of forest.

"Hey Stranger, new to color?" Harry startled and turned to see a boy on a path, someone he'd never seen before.

"Um, yes I am. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Live life like normal until you wake up. The first run lasts rather long, if I remember correctly. Would you like me to take you to the town?" The boy had these eyes that were, Harry had no words to describe it.

"What's your name?"

"Louis. What about you?"

"'m Harry. Louis, can you tell me the names of all these colors?" Louis smiled warmly and reached out his hand for Harry to hold.

"Sure thing mate. You see that there? That's green. The sky? That's blue. My eyes are blue too." Harry grinned at that. "My hair is brown. That flower is red, and the one over there is purple. That butterfly is yellow, and uh... oh my socks are orange." Louis stuck out his leg for Harry to see, the younger boy admired his rolled up pants. "Think you can remember all that mate?"

"I think so," Harry replied honestly. This boy was kinder than he could hope for. He had a strong urge to be his friend.

"Well let's start walking then. It's quite a ways to the city. I suppose tomorrow night you could always wake up there, it's hard to say." They started down the multicolored, smooth road.

"So what do you do in real life?" Louis threw his head back and laughed at this. His eyes, blue Harry thinks, sparkle.

"Harry, this is real life. Besides, we don't really talk about the Grauwelt. That's German for grey world." Harry stared at the ground for a minute. He had secretly hoped he could meet Louis in the real -er- Grauwelt. "What's the matter? Is your brain shutting down with all this new info."

"I'm okay." Louis let go of Harry's hand to sling it around the younger's shoulders.

"Good to know. Now we should sing while we walk so we're not bored. I hate being bored," Louis declared passionately. "Exactly the reason I came here. Anyways, how about the Killers? Know them? Ancient band but absolutely brilliant." Harry decides Louis is very loud, and he loves it.

"No I haven't," he ducks his head sheepishly.

"That's ok Haz, mind if I call you that? Naw of course you don't. I'll introduce you to good music I promise." Louis leans into him and kisses his cheek sloppily. This boy really has no concept of personal space Harry thinks.

They walk in silence for a total of five seconds before Louis is humming and kicking his feet out. "Ever played footie?"

"Um I'm not very good at it. I know a lot about it though," Harry can't help the instinct to look down at Louis for approval.

"It's my favorite sport ever. It's the shit." They're reaching the top of a hill and Louis points out the city in the distance. "Over there, still got a bit to go." Then the shorter assesses the descent in front of them. "Roll down the hill with me."

"What? I mean, why can't we walk?"

"Because walking's boring," Louis is whining and pouting like a child yet Harry can't resist. Won't resist is more like it.

"Alright."

"Wee! Let's go." Louis drags Harry to the ground and then is barreling down the hill. Harry follows. He giggles as his body picks up speed and he's bumping about crazily. The newfound colors spinning together in his twirling vision. His stomach hurts something terrible but he can't stop laughing.

"Oof-" Harry crashes into something warm. A laughing Louis. Harry's limbs are spread out everywhere and he's half on top of Louis. Louis' face is being squished into his chest and he slides back quickly. "I'm so sorry, are you okay, I hope nothing is broken. Louis, I'm serious I didn't mean to, are you sure you're alright?"

Louis only laughs harder with grass littered all over his shirt and tangled in his hair. "I'm fine haha," upon realizing for sure that his friend was okay Harry cracked a smile as well.

Louis sat up and leaned back on the palms of his hands. "Forgot what laughter was like around here." Harry feels a funny bubbling shooting up his spine and swirling in his stomach. Finally they both climb to their feet and Louis once again puts his arm around Harry, this time the taller reciprocates.

They truly journey in silence for a whole 10 minutes this time. The two boys stumble a few times because Louis' shorter legs have to work twice as hard to keep up with Harry. They reach a curve in the road when Louis flinches.

"Oh bloody hell, I. Harry, I'm waking up. I've got to go. Stay here okay? I'll see you tomorrow night," Louis lowers down and grabs Harry's hand, bringing it to his lips. "The most important color, pink. The color of lips," he brushes his mouth against the back of Harry's hand and then he's flickering and fading until he's gone.

Harry holds his hand to his heart and stares dazedly at his surroundings. Louis had to said to stay right here, but how long til he awoke as well? Harry wanders off the bright road and slumps down against a stump. He'd just wait it out then.

After a while there's a tugging at Harry's gut and a tingling in his head, thick and heavy. He watches as the colors slip away and suddenly his eyes are opening and there's grey. Harry steps out of bed and strips off his clothes to change. He sweeps up the broken glass off the floor and throws it away. Life is rather dull when you have experienced the excitement of color. At least Harry can see where Zayn is coming from.

The boy gets ready for his afternoon shift after, wondering what color water is as he showers. In fact, that's what he does all day. He wonders what color each thing is and misses Louis something terrible. Too bad finding his new friend in the Grauwelt was a big no-no. Harry worked the rest of his shift at the grocery store wistfully remembering his dream and anticipating sleep when night rolled around.


End file.
